Ballot-box.



J. W. MARSH.

BALLOT BOX. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1910.

1,007,21 9. v Patent Oct. 1 1911' [6' w z] a 16 v 6 4 Witnesses l nventor,

d] m Attorneys,

COLUMB A PLANOGRA Oh I! E JOHN WINDLE MARSH, F CANON CITY, COLORADO.

BALLOT-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Application filed May 20, 1910. Serial No. 562,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. MARsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canon City, in the county of Fremont and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Ballot-Box, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in ballot boxes and is designed to provide a ballot box particularly useful for voting in lodges or societies where the balloting is for or against a single candidate, the usual white and black balls being employed.

In accordance with the present invention the two sets of balls are placed in separate compartments and the entire lots of balls may be caused to move at one time into other compartments and mechanism is provided whereby the balls may be moved one at a time from the second receptacles into the first receptacles at the will of the members voting, and after the vote has been ascertained the record may be obliterated by simply permitting the balls moved in the voting to pass again to the reservoir compartments. Provision is also made for secrecy in the voting so that no evidence is obtainable as to how any individual member votes.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings Figure 1 is a section to one side of the center of the ballot box at right angles to the showing of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section on the line AB of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line CD ofFig. 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a box 1 which may be substantially rectangular in cross section and this box is provided with a top member 2, one portion 3 of which may be hinged so that the interior of the box is accessible on opening the portion or lid 3. The interior of the box is provided with a partition 4 dividing it into the partition5 and lowest at the walls of the box where each shelf is provided with a passage 7 normally closed by a gate 8 under the control of a lift 9 which may be actuated by the finger of an operator. In the two compartment divisions below the respective shelves 6 are blocks 10 each with the upper surface inclined toward the partitions 4 and 5 as indicated at 11 to form a pocket 12 adjacent to the meeting points of the partitions 4 and 5. Lodged within the space between the two members of the partition 5 are two sectoral arms 13-14 each hung pendently from a common pivot support 15 mounted in the partition 5 above the corresponding shelf 6. At the upper end and arranged concentrically to the pivot 15 each arm 13l4 has a series of gear teeth 16 engaged by a like series of gear teeth 17 on a bar 18 extending above the cover 2 and there formed with a finger piece 19 carrying a guide rod 20 extending into the box 1 through the cover thereof and finally through a bracket 21 fast on the partition 4. A. spring 22 surrounds the rod 20 between the bracket 21 and the finger piece 19 and tends constantly to maintain the finger piece raised. In each member of the parti- 4 tion 5 is a curved slot 23 having the pivot 15 as an axis. Each arm'l3 and 14 has an angle extension 24 at the free ehd extending through and curved in conformity with the slot 23. Each extension 24 has formed therein a pocket 25 of a size to receive the balls used in the voting, some of which are indicated at 26 in Fig. 1. In each compartment on the two sides of the partition 5, the slot 23 is covered for the greater portion of its length with a channel piece 27 curved in conformity with the curvature of the respective slot 23 and extending from a point adjacent' to the pocket 12 to a point above the respective shelf 6 where the channel piece is cut off at an angle and has an ejector 28 fast thereto so as to project into the interior thereof. Each extension 24 of the arm 13 or 14 is provided with a longitudinal recess 29 into which the ejector 28 may enter when, as will hereinafter appear, the arm-l3 or 14 is rocked on its pivot to carry'the extension 24 to the upper end of the slot 23, the ejector 28 then extending into the pocket 25.

Each arm 13 and 14 carries a finger 29 made fast to the extension 24 and projecting through a passage 30 in the partition 4, this finger being curved on the same are as the slot 23 and channel piece 27 and at the free end terminating in divergent members 31, 32. In the path of the member 31 of the finger 29 is a bell 33, this being indicative of any suitable audible signal device, and in the path of the member 32 is a counter mechanism 3 1 of any appropriate type visible through a transparent pane 35 let into the side of the box opposite the counter 34.

The finger pieces 19 are usually distinguished by being respectively white and black to conform to the balls usually employed and these finger pieces are covered by a suitable housing 36 of ample size to permit the introduction of the hand of the voter but hiding the hand from other persons in the vicinity.

For convenience of carrying the ballot box from point to point it may be provided with a handle 37.

When it is desired to use the ballot box two groups of balls 26 are introduced into the two parts of the compartment divided by the partition 5. These balls are usually differentiated by making one group white and the other black. Because of the inclination of the shelves 6 upon which the groups of balls are deposited they immediately gravitate to the gates 8 and on lifting these gates the groups of balls will fall into the portions of the compartments immedi ately below the shelves. Because of the shape of the upper surfaces of the blocks 10 the groups of balls will gravitate to the portions of the blocks occupied normally by the extensions 24 of the arms 13 and 14. Some one of each group of balls will find its way into the pocket 25 of the particular extension 24:. Assuming that the ballot box is presented to a voter or the voter approaches the ballot box, the hand of the voter is introduced into the housing 36 and the voter may then by placing the finger upon the chosen one of the finger pieces 19 depress the same against the action of the spring 22 and by the rack 17 engaging the gear teeth 16 cause a rocking of the respective arm 13 or 1 1 in a manner to carry the extension 2 1 through the channel piece 26 until ultimately the pocket- 25 is brought into coincidence with the ejector 28 which will discharge the ball lodged in the pocket from the extension 24: and the ball will fall on the respective shelf 6 to be there retained because the gate 8 is now closed. The pocket or depression 12 is closed against access of the balls 26 by the finger 29 which is sufliciently long so that when the arm 13 or 14: is in the highest position the finger 29 still covers the depression 12. When the actuated finger piece 19 is released the spring 22 returns it to the normal position and this movement is aided by the gravitating movement of the respective arm 13 or lat. When the arm reaches its lowermost position the member 31 of the linger 29 is brought into contact with the bell 33 thus sounding a signal while the member 32 of the linger 29 is brought into engagement with the counter 34 and the latter is actuated to record the casting of a vote. After all the voters have manipulated the ballot box, the number of balls corresponding to the number of votes cast will be found upon the two shelves 6--6, and these balls may be readily counted by lifting the cover 3. After the vote has been counted the gates 8 may be lifted to allow the balls to again escape to the lower portions of the compartments to be again used if desired for a second vote. Since the balls voted are elevated during the act of voting, the ballot box may be readily restored to normal conditions and the voting record thereby destroyed by simply lifting the gates 8 since the balls will gravitate to the lower portion of the compartment.

While the bell and counter or register are desirable adjuncts to the ballot box they may be omitted without interfering with the op eration of the voting side of the device.

What is claimed is In a ballot box provided with superposed compartments, a curved guide member lead ing from the lower compartment to the upper compartment and there provided with an ejector, and an elevating means for balls lodged in the lower compartment comprising a swinging arm having an extension capable of traveling in the guide member and provided with a pocket for a single ball, said extension having a passage way ntered by the ejector on the guide member when the extension is in its uppermost position, said passage way leading to the poolct for the ball.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto allixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WINDLE lilARSl'l.

\Vitnesses A. J. MELOHI, J. E. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

